


The General And The Thief

by skeletonfreetea



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Drabble Collection, Edge/Burgerpants, M/M, Underfell Burgerpants (Undertale), Underfell Papyrus (Undertale)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:42:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27293638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skeletonfreetea/pseuds/skeletonfreetea
Summary: You would think that something as cliché as a romance between a guard and thief would be boring. It turns out that living in a kill-or-be-killed word can throw a lot of wrinkles in an otherwise well known story. (A collection of drabbles pulled from various points in the timeline, focusing on the faltering, challenging relationship between Edge and BP.)
Relationships: Burgerpants/Papyrus (Undertale)
Kudos: 7





	1. Rain

**Author's Note:**

> A series of connected, out of order drabbles of wildly varying lengths exploring the relationship between Edge and BP.

The rain doesn’t sing in waterfall. It crashes down in an ugly slosh, soaking straight through Edge’s clothes. He can’t imagine how uncomfortable that ratty looking cat must be.

The Cat ( _his name is BP but Edge only knows because of a CHECK and he doesn’t feel like he has the right to use it_ ) is pressed up against the side of the passageway, trying to find some sort of shelter from the deluge.

Edge should walk right past him. He doesn’t.

Instead, he stops awkwardly in front of The Cat and clears his throat.

The Cat jerks backwards, whiskers popping forward, lips pulled back to show of all his fangs. “Back off. I didn’t do _shit_.”

“You look pathetic.”

“Yeah? Well, you look, heh, like - “ The Cat’s brain catches up with him. He squints at the insignia on the front of Edge’s tank top, flicks his ears back flat against his skull. Goes ahead and says it anyway, “- like a drowned _guard_.”

Fighting words. Edge’s LV flickers in his bones like a warning. That would get The Cat butchered by most people in the guards, monsters looking for any excuse to flex their title, to show off their strength and the fact that there’s no one around to beat _them_ into line.

It’s how Edge _should_ deal with it. He knows better than anyone that his reputation is the only thing keeping himself and his brother alive these days, and it only takes a few wrong steps for all that to come undone around him.

The problem is that for all that the Underground is trying to beat him into line, Edge has never been good at listening.

He flicks his wrist, pulling a blanket out of his Inventory. It’s worn and ratty, still has dust clinging to its folds. He slams it into The Cat’s chest, growls out, “keep running your mouth and we’ll see which one of us ends up drowning. I hear that’s a problem for cats.”

The Cat fumbles with the blanket. Edge spins on his heel and starts walking again before The Cat has a chance to gather his wits up. It’s raining so hard that his boots don’t even clack down against the stone. Water runs down the sides of his skull, dripping uncomfortably into his sockets. He doesn’t look back, and The Cat is smart enough, at least, not to go after him.

This is stupid and Edge knows it. Even before Red got hurt, he knew better than to get friendly with other monsters. It's _definitely_ not something that he should be doing now. It's just that the tunnels are long and lonely, and he's seen The Cat roaming around out at the Dump often enough and - a part of Edge thinks that maybe, haltingly, impossibly - if there was someone Edge _could_ have as a friend, he thinks that he would pick The Cat.

But he knows better. Edge has already been given one impossible thing. He shouldn't be so greedy as to ask for another.


	2. Arson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rare moment when Edge is actually able to help the monsters of the Underground. BP has chronically bad luck.

Smoke so thick that Edge chokes on it floods his non-existent lungs. He shoulders his way through the half-blocked off doorway, into the next room where the fire is raging strong. The thing about guardsman is that most of them have forgotten their actual jobs – taking care of the Underground and the monsters inside of it.

For the most part, Edge doesn’t get to remember that role any more clearly than the others. The king barks an order and he listens. A monster steps out of line and Edge dusts them. So he _maybe_ gets a little brazen on the rare occasion when he’s actually able to do some good. Maybe gets a little reckless.

Then again, is it _really_ reckless to step into a burning building when you don’t have any flesh to singe?

(the burn scars on his shoulder say yes, yes it is, and if red ever finds out, he’ll say the same thing)

Edge doesn’t think so. It’s not even that big of a blaze. The knight-knight outside has already gotten it mostly contained. The problem is just that a lot of the infrastructure on this street’s been damaged. A lot of the buildings are halfway collapsed. A lot of monsters that weren’t involved in the gang war have been caught in the cross fire.

Monsters like – The Cat, tucked up small in an alcove at the back of the house, trying to protect himself from crumbling stone even if he can’t get away from the flames. Edge throws a CHECK at him like he’s throwing a blade.

_BP  
_ _LV 9_  
_HP 150/300  
_ _*he can’t figure out how to get out_

Still alive, then, but maybe not for too much longer. Smoke does more damage to the fleshy monsters, Edge knows. He grabs The Cat by the scruff – only to get a snarl for his troubles, The Cat lashing out blindly, spitting and hissing, even as Edge drags him out of the corner and back into the heart of the flames.

“Knock it the Hell off,” snaps Edge, giving The Cat a harsh shake. He’s got a good two foot on The Cat at least.

“Get off - “ starts The Cat, but he breaks off into an awful hacking fit. His fur is singed gray, thick tail pulled up close to his waist.

“Head down,” orders Edge. “Stay close.”

_Stay close_ , as if Edge has any intention of letting go. He keeps one hand on the thick leather of the cat’s collar, looping the other arm around the cat’s shoulders to keep him steady. The heat in the air is starting to get to be a lot, even for Edge and his lack of lungs. The smoke is acrid in his marrow, his socket, stinging singing sensation.

Edge leads the way back out into the main room. There’s a support beam down, blocking the path to the front door. Flames leap over the wood, devouring it. Swearing a blue streak under his breath, Edge readjusts his grip on The Cat, releasing his collar and giving his hand a sharp jerk. Red magic flares around Edge’s phalanges. A mass of bone constructs surge into existence in response, shattering the nearby wall. The cement dust mixes with smoke and ash, choking Edge even more, scratching roughly through the air.

His HP ticks down by three notches. Edge tightens his hold on The Cat and hauls him out through the newly crafted hold. Hotland isn’t cool by any stretch of the means, but the lack of smoke in the air is a gift of its own special sort. Monsters are shouting, clearing paths, only trying to put the fire out so it doesn’t burn down this whole stretch of settlement. Helping out of greed is better than not helping at all, though, and Edge mostly doesn’t have any mind for them.

Staggering, Edge pulls The Cat away from the main stretch of fire, into one of the narrow alleys on the other side of the street. He drops him with a thump. The Cat swipes at Edge’s ankle, even as he curls in on himself and hacks.

It’s a rare but honestly good part of Edge’s job, when he’s actually able to help the other monsters that call the Underground home.

It’s a rare but honestly stupid move when Edge pulls one of the few remaining ration bars out of his Inventory and drops it at The Cat’s feet.

Voice smoke rough, Edge says, “eat it and get the fuck out of the way.”

“What the – _fuck_.”

Edge doesn’t dignify it with a response before turning and heading back to the main street. The fire is still burning. He has other houses to check.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my own Halloween treat to myself. u.u

**Author's Note:**

> This ship is a guilty pleasure of mine. How unfortunate for everyone that I've decided to share it.


End file.
